A Single Strike

Seeing an opportunity, the people aboard the black-awning boat exerted their full strength as well, accelerating the vessel by several notches. Right then, from the heart of the purple glow, a sudden sharp crack rang out, like something shattering. Countless shards of violet light shot out in all directions as the radiant haze swiftly dissipated. The purple vase had been forcibly shattered by the Nine Fire Divine Blade! Though the Nine Fire Divine Blade had not been utterly destroyed along with it, its luster had grown exceedingly dim. Countless fine cracks spiderwebbed across its surface. In particular, among the nine fire dragons that coiled about the blade, six were gone without a trace, leaving only three. Even those remaining had grown terribly faint, their bodies diffuse and wavering. "Go!" Mu Yifeng roared. Red light blazed from the Nine Fire Divine Blade, pouring into the three remaining fire dragons. Like a dying flash of brilliance, the three fire dragons' auras rapidly swelled. Entwining their bodies, they lunged toward their opponent at astonishing speed. The cultivator from the Heaven-Traversing Alliance had not expected Mu Yifeng's magic tool to be so formidable. Horror crossed his face as he retreated in disarray, unleashing technique after technique before barely managing to scatter the fire dragons. Mu Yifeng, on the other hand, seized the opening to retrieve the Nine Fire Divine Blade and flee into the distance. The distance between them, which had closed so dangerously, was once again widened by a great margin. "Let's see where you can run!" Furious and frustrated, the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivator bared a ferocious sneer. Without waiting for his breathing to settle, he drove his escape light forward, resuming the relentless pursuit. By now, Qin Sang had quietly made his move. He remained hidden beneath the water, executing a water evasion technique. With his aura held strictly in check, he nonetheless moved at no sluggish pace. No one noticed Qin Sang's presence. For one, his movements were cautious and the distance remained considerable; for another, both Mu Yifeng's pursuer and the people on the black-awning boat had their eyes riveted on the battle. Qin Sang was heading precisely in the direction of Mu Yifeng's flight. Speeding through the depths, he quietly calculated the distances between them. The black-awning boat lagged far behind, and the other pursuer had been held at bay by Mu Yifeng at the cost of overtaxing the Nine Fire Divine Blade, opening up a wide gap that would be difficult to close in the short term. As long as Mu Yifeng didn't give up or veer off course, Qin Sang would definitely make it in time. As he sped along, Qin Sang's eyes flickered, turning over various strategies. Across the vast expanse of water. No birds cast their shadows; not a fish or shrimp could be seen. Between water and sky, two streaks of light cut through the vast expanse, tearing the stillness to shreds. Above the surface, the black-awning boat charged aggressively, cleaving waves and parting waters. And beneath the water, a solitary figure slipped along in silence. Mu Yifeng glanced back at his relentless pursuer, a faint, bitter smile tugging at his lips. The spiritual power in his sea of qi was nearly depleted; before long, his lamp would run dry. Even sacrificing the magic tool that had accompanied him for decades had failed to kill his foe. Yet even if he had killed him, what of it? He could never escape the pursuit of that treasure ship. *A pity... I never got to see the scenery above the Golden Core.* Regret flashed through Mu Yifeng's eyes. He looked down at the Nine Fire Divine Blade in his hand—this old veteran that had fought by his side across the realm ever since his Foundation Establishment days was now dim and riddled with cracks. Though it had not been entirely destroyed, it would require at least several years of careful nourishment to recover. Mu Yifeng tightened his grip. Feeling the familiar aura emanating from the Nine Fire Divine Blade, his heart seemed to settle. For a cultivator like him who sought only the Dao, the divine blade in his hand was his sole anchor. "Rest easy. I will take you with me. How could I leave you alone in the hands of these villains?" Mu Yifeng gave a soft chuckle, murmuring to the Nine Fire Divine Blade. He had already resolved to take his own life. Falling into enemy hands would be far worse than ending it on his own terms. Right at that moment, Mu Yifeng suddenly heard a voice transmission, faint as the buzz of a mosquito. "Senior Brother Mu..." Baffled, Mu Yifeng stared out over the endless water ahead, wondering if he was hallucinating on the verge of death. But immediately afterward, an even clearer voice came through. "Senior Brother Mu... it's me... I'm Qin Sang!" A lightning bolt flashed through Mu Yifeng's mind as he suddenly recalled that person, and delight surged through him. Yet, seasoned by vast experience, he immediately realized that Qin Sang had to be hiding in the shadows. He kept his flying speed steady and did not let his gaze waver in the slightest. "Senior Brother Mu, I'm underwater..." By now, Qin Sang had gotten ahead of Mu Yifeng, lurking below the surface. Channeling the Spirit Concealment Art with all his might, he contacted Mu Yifeng in secret. With opportunity fleeting in the blink of an eye, he spoke rapidly. "Senior Brother Mu, how many experts are on that boat?" "Junior Brother Qin, are you alone?" Mu Yifeng immediately realized what was happening, and the pleasant surprise on his face was instantly replaced by deep disappointment. He remembered Qin Sang's cultivation level; back when they had parted ways, Qin Sang had been far below him. Even if Qin Sang had chanced upon some miraculous encounter over the years, he would at most have only just broken through to late Foundation Establishment. Coupled with Mu Yifeng himself, whose oil was nearly spent, once exposed, there could be no other outcome than both of them dying together. Hearing Qin Sang's question, Mu Yifeng had no time to wonder why Qin Sang was here. He hurriedly transmitted his voice to dissuade him: "Junior Brother Qin, do not expose yourself! There are two other late Foundation Establishment experts aboard that boat—whatever you do, don't let them spot you..." Hearing this, Qin Sang knew where things stood. In fact, before making a move, he had already guessed as much. No matter how high the cultivation of those aboard the black-awning boat was, none of them could be a Golden Core Master; otherwise, crushing Mu Yifeng would have been as easy as squashing an ant, and they would never have allowed him to flee for so long. Still, just in case, he had refrained from acting rashly, choosing instead to contact Mu Yifeng first and ascertain the enemy's strength. Saving someone was fine, but not if it cost him his own life. Mu Yifeng's flying speed was exceptionally swift as he sped past. Receiving no further reply from Qin Sang, a tangle of mixed emotions churned in his chest, and he sighed inwardly. Suddenly, a crash of thunder erupted behind him. A bolt from the blue! Mu Yifeng jolted in alarm. Looking back, he saw the calm water ripped wide open by a streak of lightning. A beam of sword light burst from beneath the water at unbelievable speed, roaring straight toward the clouds like thunder and lightning. At that very moment, the streak of light carrying the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivator happened to fly directly overhead. Qin Sang's timing was impeccably precise. In the blink of an eye, the ebony sword—like an incarnation of thunder itself—surged right before the man. This strike caught everyone completely off guard. With his defensive magic tool destroyed by Mu Yifeng, the pursuer had been consumed by fury and anxiety, his entire focus fixed solely on Mu Yifeng as he pursued him with everything he had. Faced with the sudden assault of the ebony sword, he had no time to mount any reaction whatsoever. What was more, Sword Qi Thunderclap was an earth-shattering supreme divine ability to begin with. When the divine sword struck, thunder followed in its wake, its speed surpassing all imagination. Even had he not been distracted, at such close quarters and under Qin Sang's calculated ambush, doom would have been inescapable. By the time he realized the ebony sword was already right before his eyes, the rolling peals of thunder had only just reached his ears. *An ambush!* The thought had barely crossed his mind when his spirit was stunned by the deafening thunder. Then came a cold sensation below his waist, and he knew no more. Slash! Blood sprayed across the sky. Carried by their lingering momentum, the two halves of the corpse hurtled forward a considerable distance before finally tumbling apart. The sight was gruesome beyond measure. With a single strike, the ebony sword slew the enemy. It was instantly retrieved by Qin Sang, who kept his deeds and name hidden in the shadows.